Improvement in horse hay-rakes



S. RITTY. Horse Hay-Rakes.

No. 221,974. Pat e nted Nov.- 25, 1879.

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Unir nn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SEBASTIAN RITTY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF PART-OF HIS RIGHT TO JOHN DODDS AND THOMAS MATHEWSON, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,974, dated November 25, 1879; application filed June 19, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, SEBASTIAN Rrrrr, of the city of Dayton, State of Ohio, have invented Improvements in Horse Hay-Rakes, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements consist in a device for releasing the pawls in a backward movement or a movement on a curve of the wheels of a horse-rake.

Figure l is a top view of the horse-rake. Fig. 2 is a side View of the discharging device with the supporting parts in section. Fig. 3 is a side View of the pawl-and-ratchet wheel. Fig. 4: is a transverse section illustrating the lockin g device.

The general features of the rake are the same as those in general use, and therefore a detailed description of the same is unnecessary.

A represents the axle, onto which are bolted the spindles U; The shafts C are hinged to the lower front corner of the axle, and the center of the hinges corresponds with the axis of the wheels D. The teeth P are attached directly to the axle. The cleaner-sticks O are attached to the cross-bar E in front of the axle. The guide-bar Bis supported to the rear of the axle by three arms connecting the same to the axle. The central arm has an extension, and from this, by a rod, a connection is made with a hand-lever supported on the cross-bar V. The position of the seat F is shown by dotted lines. Each of the wheels has ratchetwheels m. (Shown at both Figs. 1 and 3.)

Nearly central over the axle is held the rod .R by three supports, X X, which are bolted onto the axle. At each end of this rod, and directly over the ratchets on the Wheels, are attached the hollow arms Gr. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) In these arms are pawls 20, (shown at Fig. 3,) which are pivoted to the rod, and the outer ends of which rest against pins in the hollow arms. Within the arm is a flat spring, Z, which presses down upon the pawl. At Fig.

3 the side of the arm is cut away to show the relation of the parts.

Nearly in contact with the central support, X, is attached to the rod the arm S, the upper end of which is connected by the chain N to the foot-lever L 5 and near the lower end is a notch, into which the lower end of the pivotal arm T drops by its own weight when the arm is carried sufficiently forward. At Fig. 1 the arms and the foot-lever are shown, and the chain connecting one of the arms to the footlever is represented by dotted lines.

Beneath the arm S is a plate, W, which covers a spiral spring, the free end of the plate resting on the spiral spring, and the other end being screwed down onto the top of the axle. This plate is thereby held in horizontal position. When the arm S is brought forward, the spring is made to act against a point of the arm forward of its axis of motion. The

- efiect is to carry the arm backward and there by disengage the pawls. This is the only purpose of the spring, and a flat spring may be substituted; or the spiral spring may be sup-' ported forward of the axle, operating on a point of the arm S extending farther forward.

At Fig. 2 is shown the relation of the several parts and the pivotal arm engaging the operating-arm. The dotted lines at U show the position of the spindle, and the dotted lines at T show the movement of the arm to the point where it engages the projection n,

which serves to release the operating-arm, and

consequently the pawls. The foot-lever L is supported by a bearing resting on the bar I.

The usual form of hand-leverattachment is a part of the rake, and is used only for the purpose of holding the teeth up from the ground.

The drawingFig. 4 illustrates a modification, and is a section of the axle A, exhibiting the oscillating rod R and the support X intheir relation to thelocking device, these parts being identical in construction and function With the like parts heretofore described,with this exception, that the operating-arm S has the spiral spring Y arranged with a forward inclination to press on a point of the arm forward of its axis of motion, for the purpose before specified.

The operation is thus described: The teeth being in position for raking, and having received their load, the foot-lever is pressed forward until the operating arm is engaged by the locking-arm. The foot is then removed, and this holds the pawls in contact with the ratchets of the wheels until the locking-arm strikes the projection, and then the axle drops back with or without, plate-spring W, arni S, and.

by the weight of the teeth to renew the raking. loeking'arin T, axle A, and wheels D, sub- As the pawls are not held rigidly to the mtehstantially as set forth.

ets when the rake is named on a curve the T inner Wheel is released. 7 SEBASTIAN RITTS' What I claim as my invention is-- Witnesses: I The combination of the oscillating rod R, B. PIOKERING,

arms Gr, pawls w, spring Z, spiral spring Y, W. H. CLARK. 

